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Can you remember being read soothing bedtime stories just before you drifted off to sleep as a child? Do you have fond memories of sitting on your parent’s lap while their warm voice transformed into the magical characters of your favourite picture book?
As parents in today’s hectic, digital world you may think these rituals are outdated. These days, we often plonk our kids in front of iPads and let school or kinder take care of the rest. After all, this is moving with the times. Or is it?
The truth is, reading books aloud to your kids has crucial benefits you can’t afford to overlook!
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It helps their brains develop
When you read a story to your child, it increases the activity in their brain. As they listen to words describing characters and scenes, their brain is learning to interpret and process information. Your voice also helps them identify sounds and connect these with language. These benefits can start as early as infancy and continue well into primary school age.
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It broadens their vocabulary and pronunciation
Books expose kids to new words and ideas beyond your everyday conversations with them. If you think about it, a story often has lots of language describing images, characters’ emotions and events. This can help your kids learn new ways to express themselves and complement their language progression as they learn at school.
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It fosters imagination and ideas
When you read aloud to them, their imagination and creativity can be enhanced. They may become curious and ask questions as you read. You can also relate aspects of the book to their own lives to help them form meaningful connections. This can be really helpful at school as they learn about self- expression and new ideas.
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It improves listening skills and attention span
Of course, when you read aloud to your children, they need to practice listening. The more they learn to listen, the better their attention span which is so important when learning at school.
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It’s great for family bonding
Perhaps the best benefit, is the personal interaction and bonding time you share. You can’t beat quality, one-on-one time with your child. It’s not just about improving their language, literacy and education. It’s about strengthening the emotional bond with your kids which is priceless.
So, next time you think about reaching for that iPad, grab a book instead. Cuddle up and schedule time to read aloud to your kids – the whole family will benefit!
ROOP is a non-profit organisation that promotes the importance of literacy in early childhood. It also provides literacy resources and services to children and families from low socio-economic backgrounds in Victoria.
To learn more about ROOP and tips for reading aloud to your children click here
Written by: Eliana Furnari
